AP-UT--Utah News Digest, UT

Good afternoon. Here’s a look at how AP’s general news coverage is shaping up in Utah.

Questions about today’s coverage plans are welcome and should be directed to Brady McCombs at 801-322-3405 or bmccombs@ap.org.

A reminder this information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change. Expected stories may not develop, or late-breaking and more newsworthy events may take precedence. Advisories, digests and digest advisories will keep you up to date. All times are Mountain.

Some TV and radio stations will receive shorter APNewsNow versions of the stories below, along with all updates.

GRASS-EATING GOATS

BOUNTIFUL, Utah — Utah homeowners who are worried about dry conditions ripe for wildfires are increasingly turning to a rancher’s team of 80 goats can be hired to eat grass and weeds on hard-to-reach hillsides and difficult terrains, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. UPCOMING: About 300 words.

REFERS:

WESTERN WILDFIRES

GOLETA, Calif. — Firefighters battling wildfires throughout the U.S. West that have torched hundreds of homes got some help from the weather Saturday, even as they tallied damage from new fires that erupted amid a Southern California heat wave. SENT: 980 words, video, photos.

With:

— BC-US--Western Wildfires-The Latest. Includes content on Utah fire.

IMMIGRATION-SEPARATING FAMILIES

PHOENIX — The 1-year-old boy in a green button-up shirt drank milk from a bottle, played with a small purple ball that lit up when it hit the ground and occasionally asked for “agua.” Then it was the child’s turn for his court appearance before a Phoenix immigration judge, who could hardly contain his unease with the situation during the portion of the hearing where he asks immigrant defendants whether they understand the proceedings. By Astrid Galvan. SENT: 1,220 words, photos.

With:

— AP EXPLAINS-IMMIGRATION PROTEST: Throughout U.S. history, critics of federal immigration authorities have sought reforms or abolition in response to new laws and changing federal policies some deemed discriminatory. By Russell Contreras. SENT: 1,090 words, photos.

IDAHO GOVERNOR-NATIVE AMERICAN CANDIDATE

BOISE, Idaho - Democrat Paulette Jordan breaks the mold of the typical candidate in Idaho elections. She’s the first woman to win the party’s nomination for governor of a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the top seat in almost 30 years. And if she pulls the upset against Lt. Gov. Brad Little in November, Jordan, a member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, will be the first Native American governor of a U.S. state. It won’t be easy. It’s tough being a Democrat in Idaho, grappling with a lack of legislative influence inside the Statehouse and consistently losing against far-right statewide and congressional opponents. The last time Idaho voters elected a Democrat for the top seat was in 1990. By Kimberlee Kruesi. SENT: 970 words, photos.

IN BRIEF:

— MISSISSIPPI FUGITIVE-SIGHTINGS: Federal authorities say a Mississippi man sought in the killing of his wife has been seen recently in southern Wyoming and northern Utah.

— HAMMER-WIELDING UNCLE KILLED: Police in Pleasant Grove say a man fatally shot his uncle who had been banging on the front door of the home of the nephew’s father while holding a hammer in each hand.

SPORTS:

SOC--WCUP-FINAL FOUR

MOSCOW — Vin et fromage from France against beer and waffles of Belgium. English fish and chips or a Swedish smorgasbord versus Russian borscht or Croatian brodetto. The World Cup semifinals offer a new look, with the potential for a champion that’s never won a title before. By Ronald Blum. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 7 p.m. EDT.

MEMBER EXCHANGE:

EXCHANGE MODEL RAILROAD CLUB

PROVO, Utah — Train bells sound from a Highland home as Jim Smeltzer cruises on railroad tracks through his driveway atop a green locomotive. Though having many bells and whistles of its own, the train is far from full size — roughly 13 percent as big as the real deal. Since 2004, the Smeltzers’ land surrounding their home has been a model railyard. However, for 84-year-old Jim, his love of trains spans much further back than that. By Isaac Hale, The Daily Herald. SENT: 1,270 words, AP Photos.

Eds: An AP Member Exchange for use weekend editions Saturday, July 7, 2018, and thereafter.

Eds: An AP Member Exchange for use weekend editions Saturday, July 7, 2018, and thereafter.

_________________

If you have stories of regional or statewide interest, please email them to apsaltlake@ap.org. If you have photos of regional or statewide interest, please send them to the AP state photo center in New York, 888-273-6867. For access to AP Exchange and other technical issues, contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport@ap.org